Dr. Artika Tyner Received the 2017 Denise A. King Leadership Award

ST. PAUL, Minn. - June 22, 2017 - PRLog -- Dr. Artika R. Tyner was honored with the 2017 Denise A. King Leadership Award by the Kofi Services program (Wilder Foundation) for her efforts in modeling leadership to the youth and service in the community.

This award was granted to Dr. Tyner by Kofi Services, a 25 year-old social service organization that works to increase the positive functioning of African American youth in the Twin Cities. Kofi Services helps youth by supporting them in their home, school, and community.

"Kofi" is derived from a word meaning "child of growth" in Akan Asente, a Ghanaian dialect. Kofi's desired outcomes are to provide cultural affirmation, mentorship and role modeling, improve behaviors in the classroom and at home, improve academic performance and attendance and increase parental involvement in the child's education."

"This is truly an honor for me. I am blessed to be able to make a positive impact on the lives of young people and model what it looks to be a leader and to make a difference in my community. I give my upmost blessings to the youth that are part of Kofi, may they leave the program and follow their passions. I am confident that they have the tools to make the world a better place by serving as leaders and change agents," said Dr. Tyner.

Through her organization, Planting People Growing Justice LLC, Dr. Tyner and her team are empowering youth and planting seeds of change through education, training, and community outreach. Her new book, Justice Makes a Difference: The Story of Miss Freedom Fighter, Esquire, will support youth in developing their leadership skills and making a difference in the world around them. Planting People Growing Justice is launching this new book project in order to promote literacy, cultural awareness, and leadership development. Dr. Tyner (a.k.a. Miss Freedom Fighter, Esquire) will hand deliver 1,000 books to schools across the globe. She will start with her hometown of St. Paul, MN and end the tour with a special visit to schools in Ghana. With each visit, she will inspire young people to discover the leader within through the pursuit of academic excellence and the unveiling of each student's limitless potential. To support the project, please visit: http://artikatyner.com/miss-freedom-fighter-esq/

About Dr. Artika R. Tyner

Dr. Artika R. Tyner serves as an educator, author, sought-after speaker, and advocate for justice whose drive is to empower others to lead. Dr. Tyner is committed to empowering others to lead within their respective spheres of influence. She is the Founder/CEO of Planting People, Growing Justice LLC which provides leadership development training and career coaching. She has also developed leadership educational materials for K-12 students, college/graduate students, faith communities and nonprofits. Additionally, Dr. Tyner teaches leadership coursework on ethics, critical reflection, and organizational development. Her research focuses on diversity/inclusion, community development, and civil rights. She has presented her research and conducted leadership training programs both nationally and internationally.